Method of fastening wood handles to tools.



E. J. RENKENBERGER. I METHOD OF FASTENING WOOD HANDLES T0 OOLS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, I913- Patented June 5, 1917.

EDWARD JOHN RENKENBERGER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 GEORGE C. RENKENIBERGER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF FAiSTENING WOOD HANDLES TO TOOLS.

eeaeoo.

4 Application filed July 25, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. RENKEN- BERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Fastening Wood Handles to Tools; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hammers and similar tools, and-has for its object to improve the construction of the shank of the tool and also the handle along the shank so as to afford the maximum strength where the greatest strain takes place and also reduce to the minimum the shock transmitted from the head to the handle arising from blows imparted by the head; and also to provide for pressure between the handle and shank being placed on relatively large flat surfaces afforded by fins projecting from the sides. of the shank, the handle at such points being spaced from the shank so that the pressure is primarily on the fins and not on the shank To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the features hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming apart hereof and in which Figure 1 is a side view of a hammer embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 a similar View partly in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 an end view of the hammer head and shank, with the handle removed;

Fig. 4: a cross section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing the numeral 1 designates the head of the tool, which merely for illustrative purposes is a claw-hammer as any other headed. tool may have the inventive features, and 2 designates the handle grip. The head 1 has a shank 3 which is cylindrical or round in cross section and of different diameters for purposes hereinafter men- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Serial No. 781,152.

which need extend only a portion of the length of the fins, which give strength to the structure and serve-as metal bearing surfaces for the wire-wrapped ferrule and increase the durability of the tool. The fins have the greatest depth adjacent to the head, or in other words taper in depth from the head toward the opposite end of the shank, thus giving the greatest strength where the greatest strain occurs, and also contributing toward the reduced diameter of the handle between thehead and the grip portion of the handle as hereinafter specified.

The handle grip 2 next to the head of the tool is made with a relatively large head 7 because the greatest strain comes at such point and its diameter corresponds substantially to the diameter described by the outer faces of the fins so that said faces and the outer surface of the head 7 will be substantially flush with each other; and the handle'between its head? and the grip portion for the hand is reduced in diameter at the point indicated by 8 so that the shock occasioned by a blow of the tool head will be minimized in its transmission to the grip portion of the handle. The handle is formed with a longitudinal bore 9 extending through the enlarged head 7, the reduced portion 8 and for a distance'into the grip portion of the handle. The bore 9 has substantially the same diameter as the greatest diameter of the shank 3, that is, of the end portion 4:, so that there will be a snug fit between the cylindrical enlarged end and the walls of the cylindrical bore, the cylindrical formation of the bore and the enlarged end of the shank contributing strength to the handle at such point. The bore 9 is substantially greater in diameter than the diameter of the shank to the head of the tool from the enlarged end 4 of the shank to the tool head so as to leave a space 10 between the cylindrical portion of the shank and the wall of the bore, as illustrated clearly in Figs. 2 and 4t, and this feature, as well as the reduced diameter of the handle at 8, tends to reduce to the minimum the shock transmitted from the head to the grip portion of the handle when a blow is imparted through the head as the length of contact between the shank and handle is materially reduced while maintaining sutlicient length of the shank to afford strength and stability to the tool.

The enlarged head 7 of the'handle is slotted appropriately to receive the fins 5 of the shank as indicated in Fig. at, which also causes the segments of the enlarged head of the handle thus divided to bear snugly against the broad side faces of the fins so that the pressure may be exerted against said faces when the slotted head is compressed and bound by the ferrule formed of wire wound tightly around the handle at such point. This alsotends to distribute the lines of'force transversely through the fins instead of longitudinally through the shank when blows are given by the tool head and accordingly the transmission of longitudinal vibrations through the handle minimized.

The handle and tool head are securely held together by a ferrule 11 preferably formed of wire wrapped tightly around the enlarged head of the handle next to the tool head, the wire being preferably laid in closely wound strands around the enlarged head portion of the handle and spaced spirals lying in grooves in the reduced portion of the handle, the ends of the wire being suitably secured in the wooden handle. By employing a wire ferrule formed as specified the slotted head of the handle can have its sections more tightly adjusted against the sides of the fins on the shank and a better elliptical formation in cross section, given to the handle as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The wire constituting the ferrule will also have a bearing on the outer faces of the fins and a more extended bearing on the heads of the fins lying at the top and bottom portions of the handle so that a stronger union between the parts is effected. Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is 1. A tool impact head and permanently attached handle, the head having a cylindrical shank and the handle a cylindrical bore, the end of the shank corresponding substantially to the bore of the handle and the portion between the end and the head being of materially smaller diameter than the end of the shank and the bore of the handle to leave a clearance between the shank and wall of the bore, substantially as described.

2. A tool impact head and handle, the handle having a longitudinal bore, and the head having a cylindrical shank within the bore and of materially smaller diameter than the bore to form a clearance to impart elasticity to the handle and formed with side fins extending from the head toward the opposite end of the shank and fitting in corresponding slots formed in the end of the handle, substantially as described.

3. A tool impact head and handle, the handle formed with a central bore and reduced in diameter between the end next to the tool head and the grip portion of the handle, and the tool head formed with a shank a portion of which is materially smaller in diameter than the bore of the handle to form a clearance to impart elasticity to the handle and provided with fins extending from the head toward the opposite end of the shank and fitting in corre sponding slots formed in the end of the handle, substantially as described.

4. A tool impact head and handle, the

handle having a central bore and reduced in diameter between the two ends of the bore, and the head formed with a shank fitting in the bore and provided with fins fitting in corresponding slots formed in the handle, the fins which lie at the upper and lower faces of the handle being formed with lateral extensions bearing against the handle to brace the slotted portion of the handle and resist strains, and a ferrule formed of wire wrapped around the handle to bear against the fins of the shank and extending around the reduced portion of the handle to brace and strengthen such portion.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD JOHN RENKENBERGER. Witnesses:

GEORGE CHAS. RENKENBERGER, JOHN E. WOLF.

Gopies of this patent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

